Smiths Detection launches Advanced People
Screening System

Smiths Detection has launched an advanced
people-screener which for the first time uses electronic, real-time
imaging in a standard checkpoint layout to detect concealed weapons or
explosives.

Using a unique, patented technology based on
millimetre (mm)-wave imaging, the screener provides a clear,
moving picture of the person passing in front of a flat panel. A
remote operator can check for any threat items hidden beneath
clothing.

The screener, called eqo because it senses the
echo of the transmitted signals, heralds a new era in security
scanning as conventional systems are bulky, slow to pass through,
and use mechanical scanning which takes a delayed image.

eqo provides electronically scanned imaging with
instant images. It comprises a space-efficient portal and panel
configuration and, with no moving parts, its long-term reliability
is likely to be much greater.

Stephen Phipson, Group Managing Director
of Smiths Detection, said, “eqo represents a second generation of
people-screeners, its state-of-the-art technology providing
real-time rather than snapshot images, as well as improved
resolution, throughput speed, and reliability.”

Tiny antennae covering the two-metre high panel
bounce harmless mm-wave energy around the person standing in front
of it. Variations in reflection generate a three-dimensional image
that reveals any kind of hidden material threat – metal, liquid,
ceramic, or explosive.

Using a fraction of the floor space
of conventional scanners, eqo’s open-plan design helps speed
passenger throughput. Air travellers just have to pause to face
the panel and then slowly turn around before continuing their
journey. Future configurations should allow them to pass through a
series of panels without any pausing or turning.

In
addition to fully remote operation that provides anonymity for
passengers, privacy filters such as face blurring are built into
the system. The equipment is also deliberately programmed to be
incapable of storing, transmitting or printing any images. eqo can
be deployed in a range of installations, from event venues and
jails to government buildings, airports and other mass transit points.